Key-socket mechanism.



B. C. WEBSTER & G. P. KNAPP. KEY SOCKET MECHANISM-1 APPLICAHON FILED SEPT.23,19\5.

1,181,707. 1 Patented May 2, 1910.

WITNESS A TTOH/VE Y STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAIVIIN C. \VEBSTER AND GEORGE P. KNAPP, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT,

ASSIGNORS TO HARVEY HUBBELL, INCORPORATED, OF BRIDGEPOR'I, CON- NECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

Application filed September 23, 1915.

To (1/! rzlivm it may concern.

lie it known that we, Bizxaiurx C. \Vnns'lI-ZK and Gnome: P. *Kxirr. citizens of the l'niteil States. residing at lridg'eport. county of l airlicld. Stale of Connecticut, have invented an liiiprovenient in Key- Socket Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to key sockets and has for its object to simplify and cheapen the construction of the switch mechanism and to iniprove its operation in use, espe cially in the matter of makin a quick and snappy double make and break of the circuit. when the shaft is given a quarter turn in either direction.

With these and other objects in view, we have devised the novel switch mechanism which we will now describe. referring to the. accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and using reference characters t indicate the several parts.

Figure l is a view of a lie socket, partly in elevation and partly in section; Fig. 2 a plan view of the switch niechanisni conr plate. the upper insulating block being removed and the binding posts in section; Fig. l") a similar view with the shaft, rain and connecting member removed; Fig. 4 a section on an enliirged scale on the line -l l in l ig. 2. looking in the direction of tlie arrows. the upper insulating block being in. place, and the circuit open; Fig. 5 a Sllllllar view showing the position of the parts when the circuit is closed, and Fig. 6 an inverted plan view corresponding with Figs. l and 5.

it denotes the upper insulating block, 13 the lower insulating block, 12 the socket shell, 12' the cap. H the insulating lining, 15 the screw shell, 16 the center contact, 17 the shaft and 18 the. rain which loosely mounted on the shaft and rotated thereby. fill or the a'noi'e parts may be oi ordinary or preferred construction.

lt should be understo d that the terms upper and lower us.applied to the insulating blocks are relative only and are used for convenience in description.

15) denotes a binding post which we will term for convenience in de crption the p i 3i- ,ii'e binding post and wlii ,h formed iii-- tegral. with a plate 26 lying in contact with the screw shell. The screw shell and plate Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1916.

Serial No. 52,197.

are retained in place by means of screws Z1 which pass through both insulating blocks. From the screw shell the current passes through the lamp, or other appliance, to the center contact which is in electrical connection with a contact plate 22 resting upon a ledge 29 on the lower insulating block.

23 denotes another contact plate which rests upon a ledge 30 on the lower insulating block, is secured thereto by a screw 24, and carries the negative binding post 25.

2t; denotes a loose or floating connecting member which is socketecl in the lower insulating block. We have. shown the connecting member as made T-shaped at one end and V*Sli2l])t(l at tiie other end and the lower insulating: block as recessed to correspond so as to loosely retain the connecting member in place but permit free vertical movement thereof. The special shape of the connectint. member is not an essential feature of the invention, it being simply required that the member be so shaped as to bridge the space between contact plates 22 and 23, in order to close the circuit, and of suilicient length for engagi'iment at approximately its mid-length by the cam. In the construction shown, the connecting member is provided with contact arms31 which engage the contact plateS, said arms and the contact plates being separated by an abut meat 32 formed on the lower insulating lil()(l{ which. renders arcing or sparkingpractically impossible.

J7 denotes a spring: socketed in the lower insulating block and bearing against theconnecting member on the under side thereof, that is, on the side opposite to that en gaged by the cam, and at a point in the longitudinal direct on of the connecting member opposite to the point of engagement. of said member with the contact,

in other wor plates. the, cam engages the upper side of the connecting member at a point interinetliatethe points of engage.- ment of the under side of said member with the contact plates and with the spring (compare Figs. 4 and 5). In the open circuit position (see Fig. l), the spring end of the ('()llllt(ftlll if member engages a projection 28 on the upper insulating block which lies in a corresponding recess in the lower insulating block. This projection, in the open circuit position, serves as a fulcrum for the corresponding end of the connecting memher.

The cam, as already stated, has a loose engagement with the shaft and when turned from the position shown in Fig. 5 toward the position shown in. Fig. 4, completes the movement with a snap. The instant this snap action of the cam takes place, the spring will raise the connecting member. as in Fig. 4. The springend of theconnecting member engages the projection which acts as a fulcrum, causing the spring to lift the connecting member out of engagement with the contact plate, the action being that of a lover of the third class. \Vhen the cam is turned from the position shown in Fig. 4 toward the position shown in Fig. 5, the movement is likewise completed with a snap, although not quite a s sharp as before, as the movement is against the power of the spring. The action of the cam in this movement is to force the contact end of the connecting member into electrical Contact with the contact plates, the spring being com pressed, and also to move the spring end of the connecting member out of engagement with the projection, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. This is an important feature, as it permits considerable variation in the height of ledges Q9 and 30 upon which the Contact plates rest and permits lateral tilting of the connecting member, if necessary when engaged by the cam, so that complete electrical contact with both contact plates is insured whenever the cam is turned to the closed circuit position.

Having thus described our invention. claim l.-A inechanisi'i'i of the character described comprising contact plates, a floating connecting member, a fulcrum adapted to be engaged by said member, a cam for moving said member to the closed circuit po sition, and a spring acting, when the cam is turned to the open circuit position, to move the connecting member into engagement with the fulcrum and out of engagement with the contact plates.

"1A n'icehanism oi the character described comprising two contact plates. ledges upon which the rest, a floating connecting member. a fulcrum adapted to be engaged by said member. a cam for moving said member out of engagement with the fulcrum and into electrical contact with both contact plates, said member tilting laterally should the ledges be of varying height, and a spring acting to move said member out of engagement with the contact plates.

25. A mechanism of the character described comprising a lower insulating block, contact plates secured thereto, a floating connecting member Tshaped at one end and V-shapcd at the other end, which is recessed into said block, a spring acting to raise said member to the open circuit position, a shaft, and a cam loosely mounted on the shaft and rotated thereby, by which the connecting member is moved to the closed circuit position against the. power of the spring.

In testimony whereof we ai lix our sigma tures.

BENJAMIN C. \VEBSTER. (irEOliGll I. KNAPP. W'itneascs:

.laci, Bmciinunx, R. W. MicNai'uirrox. 

